The OG office to gym wear

The real question is… why don’t they make shirtdresses with trim anymore?

This outfit threw me for a loop at first because, as I was sketching it from a Vogue magazine photoshoot (featuring a young, and relatively new to the scene, model named Gisele) I could have sworn it was a matching set: a button up with a matching button up skirt. Imagine my surprise when I read the fine print and realized it was actually a shirtdress.

Imagine my further surprise when I realized that Ralph Lauren literally never makes shirtdresses like this anymore. It’s a pity, really, because the brown trim is luxurious on this dress and pairs so beautifully with the Ralph Lauren heels that feature the reverse of this color combo: brown leather with white trim.

This dress is an interesting mix of office and tennis court ready. I suppose this was when Ralph Lauren was in their heyday of looking casual for an office meeting as well as chic for a round of golf at the country club.

While I found some current shirtdress options, none of them seemed to have the same structure or the beautiful trim detailing on the original. You may have better luck truly recreating this look with the button up and skirt combo I initially mistook this to be… if you are lucky enough to find such a matching set.

Worn in: 2001

Seen in: Vogue January 2001 Issue

Original pieces:

Ralph Lauren Collection white shirtdress with brown trim

Ralph Lauren Leather Colorblock Mules – ~$65

Hunting for the actual vintage pieces can be a fun and rewarding challenge!

However, if you want to achieve this look with more modern retailers, here are some options to peruse: